#also writing in present tense sucksssss im sticking to past tense from now on

[camels-pen]

hmmm. Monster trio + Jinbei getting separated from the rest of the crew on an island with enemies using hard or impossible to see attacks and Usopp's the one who's gotta keep his Haki up the whole time and direct the others/keep everyone safe.

Zoro got bored, having been at sea a while, and they were running low on meat, so when Luffy was about to run off, he suggests a hunting competition. Sanji yells at him not to go because he'll get lost. Zoro says something like Sanji's a wimp and ends up goading him into joining them. Jinbei is sent along by Nami to keep Zoro from getting lost. Thus the four left. Enemies showed up soon after.

The crew manages. Not perfectly, but they do. And eventually, maybe hours later, the monster trio and Jinbei (quartet? hmm) finally gets back. Nami's yelling at them as soon as they show up, but after a while the attacks slow down and stop and, despite not finding their attacker, all is seemingly fine.

Seemingly.

Usopp, having been wound up so tight with tension and still very concerned about finding their hidden enemy, keeps up his Haki even after the three had returned. The whole situation reminds him a little too much of Boin, so 'just in case' he decides to stay extra vigilant.

Meaning keeping it up until they leave the island.

Enemy attacks tone down after a while, and are much easier to manage when they've got their other Haki-users with them, so they decide on a quick supply run- Luffy accidentally stumbled on a decently sized town during their hunting trip- before shipping out.

This time, just Sanji, Chopper, and Franky go so that they can get the most necessary supplies. They're told to be quick, just in case their unseen enemy returns.

Some time later, Nami is chatting with Usopp when she pauses. She asks if Usopp's alright, because his eyes look red. Usopp just pulls his goggles on and says something got in his eye, but nothing serious.

More time later, Usopp notes that Sanji, Chopper, and Franky are taking a while. Longer than usual.

There aren't any big commotions or fires or anything though.

He parks himself on the bench around the main mast. He knows that Sanji would see any enemy that came for them. He knows that all 3 of them are capable fighters and can handle themselves. But he needs to check, needs to see-

So he pushes further. Further than he probably should, considering the way something feels like its pulling dangerously taut in his head.

He must've gotten past half of the island when, finally, he saw them.

Chopper, in heavy point, holding back a furious Sanji from kicking Franky. Franky himself was walking ahead of them, unperturbed.

Usopp let out a breath. They were fine, just taking their time getting to the town. He chastises himself a bit for not believing in them and chooses to ignore the relief from letting his range of Haki shrink back to normal. The temptation to let it go completely, to let his other crewmates handle things, was starting to get far too loud.

He brought an armful of mismatched bits and bobs on deck to fiddle with to take his mind off it. It helps with avoiding comments about keeping his goggles on anyway, if he was tinkering with something.

and blah blah blah eventually they come back with all the necessary supplies. Still no enemies have returned. No matter how paranoid Usopp is, he's starting to wane on whether he should just let it go, let the others handle it if they come back, instead of straining himself to the point his brain feels like it'll snap.

Sanji makes dinner. It's late too, so Nami makes the decision to ship out in the morning. She says they're switching up night watch just for tonight, in case those unseen enemies come back. The new schedule consists of Sanji, Zoro, Luffy, and Jinbei.

They get that they need Haki users on watch, but when asked why so many shift switches, Nami doesn't want them getting tired... or something like that, since she doesn't really know about how Haki works.

Eventually she, and everyone else, gets an explanation that properly trained Observation Haki doesn't have to be kept on all the time to be aware of imminent danger and isn't especially draining to use. Usopp is a little frustrated, maybe shows it outwardly, and even though the explanation reassures the others that 2 shifts- maybe 3- is enough, it only serves to make Usopp feel worse. He more firmly keeps up his waning Haki.

Long after everyone has gone to bed and Sanji has started first shift, Usopp was still 'tinkering' against the mast. Sanji comes down for a bit and tries to get him to head to bed or take a break, but Usopp made some excuse that he'd finish up his project soon.

Zoro doesn't say anything as he passes Usopp to relieve Sanji of his shift.

Sanji brings him some tea, the kind that makes you sleepy. Usopp can smell it. He gives his thanks and chugs it. Sanji sighs before heading to the men's quarters.

It isn't long before Luffy passes. Then Zoro. Jinbei, then Luffy.

Before he knew it, the sun was just barely rising and Sanji was standing in front of him.

"Your cup."

"Hm?"

Sanji gestures to the empty teacup and saucer next to Usopp.

"Oh. Sorry." He hands them over.

"Did you finish?"

"The tea? Yeah, it was tasty."

"No, your project."

Usopp pauses. Stares at Sanji between slow, burning blinks. "What project?"

Anyway, Sanji's worried now, but not enough to intervene. Breakfast comes and goes, then they're finally sailing off.

it takes another hour or so to leave the island out of a normal person's Haki range. They all think they're home free at this point, but not Usopp.

He plans to keep up his Haki until the Island is outside his maximum range. It's still just barely reaching the edge of his strained Haki range when he notices it.

Killing intent.

It's racing towards Sunny at breakneck speeds. Usopp doesn't know what it is, but he is not letting that thing hit their ship-

Except, oh, Usopp could almost see the trajectory of this thing, clear as if he'd shot it himself.

It wasn't aiming for the ship. It was aiming for Luffy.

Now, realistically, when it came within his own Haki range, Luffy would just dodge it himself. Even if he didn't, the most damage those unseen enemies had managed was a few slashes here and there. Mostly superficial wounds. It was more that they couldn't be seen without Haki and the sheer amount of them that had everyone on guard.

But Usopp had not slept. Had, at this point, gone a full 24 hours using Observation Haki. Was mixing up common, comforting, sounds of Sunny on the sea with giant bugs and carnivorous plants on an island miles and miles and miles away. Usopp was far past thinking realistically.

So, without any explanation or warning- no time, he thought to himself- Usopp aims his Kabuto just to the right of Luffy. His friends yell at him, when they notice what he's doing. He ignores them. Quiets his thoughts. He has to keep himself steady. Has to fire at just the right moment.

Luffy turns around, staring calmly at him. "Usopp?"

Now!

Usopp fires.

The others yell at Luffy to move. Luffy stares at Usopp. He stays put.

A Skullbomb Grass explodes next to him. He keeps a hand on his hat to keep it from blowing off.

Little bits of something shower down on Luffy's head.

He blinks a few times, then grins, "So that's what it is!"

Sanji and Zoro relax. Jinbei asks, "You couldn't have said something before shooting?"

"Eh? What? What happened?" Nami asks.

Luffy laughs, picking up one of the bits on his hat. "It's-"

"There you are you needle bastard," Usopp hisses, jerking his head towards the island. He turns and climbs to the roof of the crow's nest in record time. He aims high in the sky. "Surekill: Green Star-"

He shoots off his pop green, waiting a good while for the impact to be seen from the island. When the needle bastard's voice had finally shut up, Usopp starts to relax and let up on his Haki. "Skullbomb Grass…"

Usopp sways atop the crow's nest. His friends were yelling something at him, but he couldn't hear them.

With his fuzzy vision and aching head, he mumbles, "Ah, maybe I did overdo it afterall…"

In the next moment, he tips over the edge.

-and then Sanji jumps up to catch him and calls him a dumbass.

Luffy finishes explaining that somebody shot a big needle at him and Usopp shot down said needle. Then the others discuss why the hell Usopp passed out and who threw the needle. And how Usopp saw it coming before Luffy did, if both of them have Haki.

Jinbei explains that some people have wider ranges on their Observation Haki. Though, now, Usopp's is probably the biggest he knows of. Because what the hell that was insane.

Chopper takes off Usopp's goggles and checks him over. He asks the others if they noticed anything weird about Usopp that might've led to him collapsing. Nobody has anything but eventually Nami mentions his eyes being red yesterday after Sanji, Chopper, and Franky left. A few others pipe up about Usopp not sleeping last night.

Sanji is the one to put the pieces together.

He explains to the rest of them that Usopp must've been keeping his Haki up this whole fucking time, which wore him the hell out. He also explains that it's dangerous to do that, especially when his Haki is still untrained.

Usopp gets taken to the infirmary. The others (namely, Sanji) are kicking themselves a little about not having made sure that Usopp knew how to conserve energy with Haki / use it in a way that doesn't hurt him.

When Usopp wakes up many hours later, he's pretty fucked. Like his head is pounding, his stomach is queasy, and when he tries to test his Haki to make sure everyone was alright, he nearly passes out again. He takes some time to force himself to stay conscious, and then pushes himself up to go check on them in person. Sanji's right there though, and stops him. Tells him everyone's okay, other than Usopp himself. Tears into him a little about trusting Sanji, Luffy, Zoro, and Jinbei to pay attention and watch out for the others.

Usopp doesn't apologize, doesn't say much of anything. Some time, and warm food, make it easier for Sanji to wheedle out of him that the whole thing reminded him of Boin. And isn't that stupid? This wasn't the first forested Island they'd been to in the New World where people were trying to kill them. Usopp wasn't being chased down by man eating plants. The only thing he ate was the food Sanji made. And there was no routine 'Island Chow Time' where the island itself folded up and ate everything on it everyday. It didn't make a lick of sense.

But Sanji understood. Sort of. Having to watch over your shoulder for so long and then getting this power that lets you watch everything at all times? If it wasn't for Iva's scolding he would've been in the same state as Usopp while he was doing his own training.

And thus, heart to heart, and then Sanji offering to train Usopp properly in Observation Haki, which Usopp accepts.